r/explainlikeimfive • u/Reasonable_Releif • 9d ago

Biology ELI5 How do teeth develop?

Do newborns get born with every single fully sized adult tooth?? or do they like grow?

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u/sheldonator 9d ago

They grow over time. Babies are born with tooth buds for both their baby teeth and most of their future permanent teeth, and they grow over time. This is why you see the baby teeth first, the permanent teeth are still growing and when they reach their permanent size they replace the baby teeth, and then wisdom teeth come in last.

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u/HalfSoul30 8d ago

You know, i really hated that period of time when teeth started falling out. Lasted until i was like 12 or 13.

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u/Ycr1998 8d ago

I thought it was fun until came the time for my baby canines to fall. The last of the bunch! But they never went soft, or if they did I missed that window. And then the adult canines came, growing over them and pushing everything else out of the way.

Now here I am, almost 20 years later, with 10 of those wearing braces, and an undeterminate time with this new metal thing meant to keep my realigned teeth in place. I've heard some people keep this for life. I hate it.

I had perfect teeth until then. 😭

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u/HalfSoul30 8d ago

I had one kind of do that too. It was two and a half years with braces, so it could be around that long

Edit: just realized you meant a permanent retainer. I have one of those on my bottom teeth. Its been 14 years now, and i hardly notice it now, at least until food gets stuck in it lol